Jamaican Halloween Spooktacular 2008 Track 2 - A Real Nightmare

So you're back for more? Well good because track two in our distinguished anthology of spooky tunes is ready for your ears and it's another good one! As you may have already guessed by either looking at the title of today's post or by immediately looking at the photo on the right... today's tune is called "Nightmare" and it comes to us from the group known as Herman's All Stars.

"Nightmare" was produced by Herman Chin-Loy and originally released in 1971 as the B-side to Herman's "El Fishy" single on the Big Shot label. Interestingly enough, Chin-Loy was Leslie Kong's cousin and he spent time working at Beverley's until 1969 when he started his own Aquarius Record Store and a couple years later his own label and studio. Of note... Herman Chin-Loy has been credited with first recording Horace Swaby AKA Augustus Pablo, producing the album Aquarius Dub; one of the first dub albums ever released and for building the first 24 track studio in Jamaica. Not too shabby huh?

The slightly deranged organ helps give Herman's All Stars' "Nightmare" a real Halloween appropriate vibe... if that doesn't scare you, I'm sure Dr. Satan's announcer will have you cowering in the nearest available corner or under the closest large piece of furniture that you deem appropriate. I of course am exaggerating but if you listen to "Nightmare" you'll get a better idea about this mysterious Dr. Satan.

Track 2

Jamaican Halloween Spooktacular 2008 Track 1 - Dracula Prince Of Darkness

And away we go!! Starting off the Jamaican Halloween Spooktacular 2008 in a particularly scorching fashion is the man King Horror and his tune from 1969 called "Dracula Prince Of Darkness" produced by Joe "The Boss" Mansano and originally released as a 7" on the appropriately titled Joe label. As we discussed in 2006, King Horror was the alter-ego of ska pioneer Laurel Aitken and this gruff voiced threatening impersonation of the Prince Of Darkness is one of my favorites! When King Horror says, "Runnnn! I'm coming to destroy you!," you definitely feel as if you should heed his warning!

Obviously Aitken/Horror was inspired by the 1966 Hammer Film Productions film of the same name. In Dracula Prince Of Darkness, Christopher Lee reprises his role as the bloodthirsty Count; a role he originally played in 1958 when he starred alongside ongoing screen nemesis Peter Cushing in director Terence Fisher's original production of Stoker's Dracula called The Horror Of Dracula.

I first saw this one on Chiller Theatre when I was a kid. I know I probably still have the edited for late night television version, complete with all the period correct commercials from 1983, on a moldy VHS somewhere. I remember fighting off sleep like a champ just to make it until 1:30 AM with the absolute intention of using the hard wired remote to pause recording whenever they went to a commercial break. Now either one of two things happened... I would stay awake just long enough for the movie to start getting too scary and would then just leave the VCR to do its work without me. That way I could therefore pick up where I left off the next day when the sun was shining outside and the family room didn't feel so menacing. Or, if I knew there was no chance of me making it to Chiller Theatre's time slot, I would just put the VCR on its lowest speed and hit record before passing out on the sofa. Now... if I remember correctly, Dracula Prince Of Darkness was one that required a mid-movie autopilot.

Track 1

Halloween Spooktacular 2008... The Prologue

At the offset of the upcoming festivities I wanted to provide to those of you who are either new here or have stumbled across this blog looking for "seasonal entertainment" an explanation of what I've got going on this month. For the third year in a row, I have prepared a Halloween mix containing 23 individual spooky themed Jamaican tunes from various eras complete with creepy sound effects, horror movie trailers and other obscure sound bytes. The mix is prepared as one seamless track and my goal is to provide a completely enjoyable and unique listening experience not just a bunch of songs thrown together haphazardly. I hope the "Spooktacular 2008" reaches that goal!

Now here's the catch... once I got the entire 1 hour and 26 minute mix complete I chopped them back into individual tracks for you to download and enjoy throughout the month of October. If you download them all and put them together in order, either on your computer or MP3 player, it'll play like one uninterrupted mix.

Honestly, I blog more for this then I do all year and it makes my life a little harder than it needs to be but, I have loved Halloween and horror movies forever and this project gives me the opportunity to combine that with my other passion which is obviously Jamaican music. By doing it this way I don't just throw up the mix on the 1st and be done until November, I have the opportunity to add a little anticipation on a daily basis as we countdown to the 31st.

Now you might be thinking, "A reggae Halloween mix? How is that possible?" The answer is relatively simple... there are a large amount of Jamaican tunes that go beyond the stereotypically perceived themes of reggae; peace, love and ganja smoke. There is also another reason I do this every year... I enjoy an odd juxtaposition. To add familiar sounding vintage American horror movie trailers to something so distinctly Jamaican, and for the most part unfamiliar to those who don't listen to this music on a regular basis, it creates an in-point and hopefully it can lead to developing an appreciation of a genre that is definitely not given the proper credit it is due. This is a vibrant, living, all-encompassing music and to typecast it as one dimensional, repetitive or inferior to any other artform is close-minded and ridiculous... okay I'll hop off my soapbox now. It was actually in response to that perception that inspired me to start this blog 4 years ago, right around the same time... I had spent a lot of time listening to and enjoying the wealth of obscure Halloween music outside the genre and took it upon myself to focus the attention to the equally scary subject matters coming from Jamaica.

In 2006, I came across the Scarstuff blog and was thoroughly inspired by 2 mixes that Jason had lovingly created in 2000 and 2001 called "Spook Party" and "Ghoul-Arama." Jason had used a multitude of Halloween related audio, either from his massive collection of vintage scary records and VHS movie clips and trailers, and gave a compilation of tunes a spectacular sound-bed that went way beyond what I had thought was actually do-able. I wanted to take this space to thank him for the inspiration and for sharing his Halloween record collection which makes this project so much fun to compile and mix! Thanks Jason!

See you tomorrow!

Coming... October 1st!

Hurricane Gilbert... 20 Years Later

While we're in the midst of a very active and deadly hurricane season this year I figured we'd discuss one of the most destructive storms to ever hit the Caribbean. It was twenty years ago this month that Hurricane Gilbert took a direct hit on Jamaica...

Quoting from Wikipedia here…

“On September 3, 1988, a tropical wave emerged off the African coast. Over the next several days, low pressure areas slowly developed from this wave, going on to develop an organized circulation center on September 8. Early on September 9 the storm was designated Tropical Depression Twelve, near the Windward Island about 400 miles east of Barbados. It quickly strengthened into Tropical Storm Gilbert that afternoon, becoming the seventh named storm of the season while crossing the Lesser Antilles.

With no inhibiting factors to strengthening, Gilbert quickly became a hurricane late on September 10 and then a major (Category 3) hurricane on the 11th. It moved consistently west-northwest influenced by a strong high pressure system to its north. This movement led to the hurricane’s first landfall in Jamaica. The eye passed completely over Jamaica on September 12 with 125mph winds…”

Aside from the 4 billion dollars in damage, Gilbert also soaked the island with 27 inches of rain and claimed 45 lives. It was the most costly hurricane to directly hit Jamaica since Hurricane Charlie in 1951 – the same hurricane immortalized by Captain Sinbad and Little John in their 1979 hit “51 Storm.” Now some may think it would be wrong of me to try and make light of the serious and deadly circumstances of a hurricane by mentioning something as “trivial” as a reggae record but actually that’s the point of this post. Read on…

Aid organizations came to the island in an effort to provide assistance to the approximately half million people effected by the storm. An estimated 100,000 homes were damaged by Gilbert as it tore off roofs and flooded nearly every inch of the island. Many of Jamaica’s industries, including farming and tourism, were left in total disarray and the resulting damages to hospitals in particular made it difficult for those who were injured to be cared for properly. Simply put, Jamaica was suffering.

In 1988, reggae music was in the midst of the digital heyday, and assuming when the electricity was eventually restored to Kingston, the producers, singers and DJs got to work creating songs that told of the hardships and despair left behind by the storm; many hoping to call attention to Jamaica’s plight to the outside world and some to light-heartedly lift the spirits of those left in Gilbert’s wake. Just like reggae artists have always done, they latched on to the devastating and timely topic and made it into music. Even though I feel the output was a tad bit limited by the restraints required in making immediate timely music and the minimal digitized productions of the era, the music was as socially and culturally conscious as any in Jamaica’s history. In fact, the music industry had pulled together to fight this battle and whether they were successful in raising awareness or monetary support for relief and rebuilding efforts from elsewhere on the globe remains to be seen… there is no documentation or evidence to prove one way or another. But because these songs they recorded were able to raise smiles and their fellow countrymen’s spirits in a time of absolute despair, their hurried efforts were a complete success.

We start off the mix with a Version take from the B-side of the Juney Star 12" and segue into the lyrics with Mikey Melody's tune "Gilbert Make Yuh Bad So." We then slip into a bit of juggling with 5 songs lifted from the A-side of the King Jammy/Steelie & Clevie produced LP Gilbert Is A Disaster on the Live & Love label. The first tune is by Major Mackrel and Anthony Redrose and it's called "Rough & Tuff Jamaican Way" sung to the tune of Johnny Nash's "I Can See Clearly Now (Bright Sunshiny Day)." Woody Noble gives us "Disaster Gilbert" followed by Pad Anthony's "What A Thing." The DJ Bingy gives us his take on the hurricane's aftermath with the track called "Flood Out," and we wrap up the "riddim ride" with the Chuck Turner song called "Rough Neck Gilbert." Up next in the mix is the tune I've heard from various sources was the biggest selling single in Jamaican history by the man Lloyd Lovindeer and it's the hilarious tune called, "Wild Gilbert." This was originally released as a 7" on the TSOJ label and the version in our mix is lifted from the TSOJ CD The Best Of Lovindeer. Gregory Isaacs and Josey Wales, from the 1989 Carl "Fitzie Banton" Nelson engineered, King Tubby's various artist production entitled Gilbert released in the U.S. on the Rooney Records label, follow up Lovindeer with a pretty wicked track called "What A Disaster." A little side-note... I had the Gilbert album on cassette and ripped it to MP3 for this project so I hope it doesn't sound too bad. General Trees is then up with "Bad Bad Gilbert" taken from a 12" on Maurice Johnson's Black Scorpio label. We hop back to the Gilbert album for the next two songs; the first is Wickerman's "What A Agony" followed by Conroy Smith and DJ Ashman's "Come Down." Johnny Osbourne gives us "Gilbert Mash Dem Up" borrowed from a King Tubby's Taurus 7". John "Little John" McMorris, again from the Gilbert album, is up after that with a tune "Never Saw A Storm Like This." The King Yellowman steps up inna combination stylee with Derrick Harriott with the song called "Starting All Over Again" from his CD King Of The Dancehall on the Rohit label. Back to the Gilbert collection again... this time Nigga Mikey gives us a wicked tune named "Gilbert Come." Banana Man's "Gilbert Attack Us" is the fifteenth track and it's taken from another 7" Tubby's digital production also on the Taurus label. Grindsman is up next with the tune "Wicked Gilbert" lifted from the Gilbert album. We then switch back into juggling mode with the B-side to the Gilbert Is A Disaster LP and hear the tunes "Gilbert A Say One" by Pompidoo, "Who Can Tell The Tale" by Anthony Malvo, "What A Hurricane" by Super Shine, "Gilbert A Come" by Tullo T and last but not least Chaka Demus' wicked "The People A Bawl." Tippa Lee & Rappa Roberts follow up the 2nd juggle with "Bulletin One" also off the Gilbert compilation. We then hear the Principal Charlie Chaplin with a tune called "Gilbert Disaster Over" from a Juney Star 12". And finally, the last song in our Gilbert mix is by Lincoln "Sugar" Minott's "After The Storm" from the Gilbert album.

I want to dedicate this mix with utmost respect and sympathy to anyone affected by Mother Nature's fury, not only with Gilbert, but with any natural disaster that tragically takes away possessions, property and loved ones.

Get it here!

Jah Thomas' Turn On The Mic

In the interest of saving time I've rewritten a fairly concise write-up about Jah Thomas from Wikipedia...

Nkrumah "Jah" Thomas, (born 1955, Kingston Jamaica) named after African nationalist leader Kwame Nkrumah, adopted the stage name Jah Thomas and began DJing in the late 70's. His first tune, "Midnight Rock," produced by Alvin Ranglin in 1976, was a hit on the Jamaican charts and his subsequent first LP Stop Yuh Loafin' released on London's then up and coming Greensleeves label in 1978, exposed him to an international audience. His deejaying career gave way to producing in the early 80's and his partnerships with Robert Ffrench, Triston Palmer, Johnny Osbourne, Michael Palmer, Barry Brown, Barrington Levy, Sugar Minott, Ranking Toyan and Early B, produced some outstanding reggae music and his own highly successful Midnight Rock and eventual Nura labels.

Well as you can imagine, this is where it starts getting good... the music. Jah Thomas has always been one of my favorite DJs and if you've only had limited exposure to his talent then I highly recommend seeking out more then what I'm offering today! The guy has got a smooth way of riding a riddim and I've always found that his voice is just "bad ass," if you'll excuse my language.

Also in the interest of providing a little more information about Jah Thomas I've transcribed the text relating to Jah T from the book called "Reggae Inna Dance Hall Style" released in Finland in 1984. It's interesting to look at the article now, some 20 years later, and knowing what history has shown, and catch up with him at the beginning stages of his production career...

"Jah Thomas is one of today's top dance hall music producers. Apart from himself he has produced youths like Little John and Triston Palmer and several less famous singers. Jah Thomas loves old Studio One riddims and it was him who really revamped the Heavenless riddim with his Entertainment sung by Triston Palmer.

Triston Palma is a very good singer an' Jah Thomas is a very good writer. I really hear de first song wid 'im named A Class Girl in London an' de people used to move to dat song. I hear a couple of other songs an' I decide to work wid 'im. That was in 1981. A song named Run Around Woman and Shank I Sheck riddim, the next good seller dat one, released by Silver Camel an' me an' Toyan did a toasting on it. Triston Palma went to London an' come back to Jamaica an' we do a next album wid 'im. When he was in London I complete an album wid 'im after Entertainment mek big in 1981. When he come back me mek an album call Joker Smoker. I get the idea from a good friend associated wid people who beg you sensimilla an' get it an' beg you a rizla an' get dat an' still waan borrow your lighter. Me call 'im a joker smoker. Triston Palmer complete de album which I send up to Greensleeves. It was not a big seller, but I like de presentation an' de promotion dey give it. I like de tracks, I like dat album very much. It de most expensive album, but it no really mek good income. I tell you no lie. When I working wid Triston Palma 'im 'ave some good vibes, but at de moment I don't like de vibes. He has the voice, he just needs a good composition.

I like Studio One riddims. Dem precious to me from youth. I used to go a dance an' sometimes me mama locked me up over de weekend. I have to sleep in de kitchen. Most of de riddims used are old Studio One, Treasure Island and Matador riddims, and even Mudie from Spanish Town have some good Heptones, some good Dennis Walks. But most of de riddims I really get to like come from Studio One. When I listen to a selection on a turntable it have to be Studio One. Me favourite riddim is Heavenless. It got to be, ca dat prove de world dat I am a good writer, a good producer still, you know. I was in New York wid Tad's when I was let dat riddim an' I get de vibes, ca in New York most time in a dance fire shot, an' I come from New York wid de vibes an' write de tune in de New York feel, ca everybody dere want to mash up dance.

Right now I kinda step from Triston Palma to Michael Palma, ca Triston Palma is already big now. So I have to get a different Palma big, you understand. I can't just mek one man big, ca is a circle. A ghetto raise nuff music an' new youth, so I have to expose dem. I can't do everything one day. There's two tune coming up from Michael Palma now. I send de tapes to Greensleeves in London an' dem gwaan release soon dat. There's a tune call Ghetto Dance which is an original riddim an' anadda call Different Love which is a Sweet Talking, a Studio One riddim. Redone in Jah Thomas an' Roots Radix fashion. As soon as dem release you gwaan see more Michael Palma releases by other producers.

I mek several albums wid meself. Mi latest album Shoulder Move voiced two weeks ago. Right now de master man is on leave. I wait 'im fe get back an' master it. We're taking de photographs tomorrow morning fe de album. Everything planned already. It distribute by Sonic Sounds locally. I'm trying to sell it really... going to CBS now... it have tracks like Imitate, Imitate about dj's who come a dance an' imitate anadda man lyrics. When You Poor, is like... living as a poor is like a crime, a sin, you look pon de milk you can't buy a tin. Some reality lyrics. Most a de tracks are natural, t'ings dat you can really see. Tracks like Dance With Me, telling a girl to dance it an' mek it feel iry whether she a whitey, she a blackie or whether she a coolie or she a chiney. Dat mean dere's no colour prejudice in a dance. Tracks like Red Eye for corrupted people, like a man see your tape, 'im waan tek it from you. You call people like those red eye. They never work for a thing, they jus' waan steal you.

Financially right now, mi name not too big, but me 'ave de vibes. Anytime me get better financially it gonna be bigger label on de turntable than Midnight Rock. There's gonna be more instruments in the sound, but everytime the roots 'ave to be there. I really got to give de people de knowledge, so they don't 'ave fe get to de big college."

The playlist...
1. "Mr Barrister" - Dance Hall Stylee LP - Silver Camel
2. "Mister Walker" - Dance On The Corner LP - Midnight Rock
3. "Tribute To Moa Anbessa" w/Barrington Levy - Nigger Kojak 12"
4. "Send Me The Pillow" - Stop Yuh Loafin' LP - Greensleeves
5. "Seek And Find" - Midnight Rock Presents Reggae Veterans Vol.1 LP - Clocktower
6. "Dance Hall Connection" - Dance Hall Stylee LP - Silver Camel
7. "Feeding Of The 5000" - Tribute To Reggae King Bob N. Marley LP - Midnight Rock
8. "Best Dress" w/Flabba Holt - Sky High And The Mau Mau Origination CD - RAS
9. "Friday Night Jamboree" - Midnight Rock Presents Reggae Veterans Vol.1 LP - Clocktower
10. "Jah Jah Guidance" - Dance Hall Stylee CD - Silver Camel
11. "Ghetto Dance" - General For All Generals (various artists LP) - Hitbound
12. "Burial" w/Linval Thompson - Tads Disco 12"
13. "Bicycle Skank" - Stop Yuh Loafin' LP - Greensleeves
14. "Stereo Graph Style" - Strong Like Samson 12"
15. "Shoulder Move" - Total Recall Vol. 7 (various artists CD) - VP

Get it here!

Please leave a comment... you'll make my day!

Freedom... Continued

The definition hasn't changed and the upfull freedom vibes are just the same as before... so if you liked what you heard in the previous post give the Freedom... Continued Mix a listen!

1. King Tubby - Freedom Dub
2. Dr. Alimantado - Slavery Let I Go
3. Bob Andy - Stepping Free
4. Freddie McKay - I'm A Free Man
5. Junior Ross - Liberty
6. The Gladiators - Streets Of Freedom
7. Heptones - Freedom To The People
8. Augustus Clarke - Free Zone
9. Carlton Malcolm - Father Free Us
10. Horace Andy - Totally Free
11. I Roy - Freedom Sound
12. Keith Hudson - Torch Of Freedom
13. Prince Jazzbo - Free From Chains
14. Vin Gordon - Freedom Call

Available here...

Freedom

free·dom

Pronunciation: \ˈfrē-dəm\
Function: noun
Date: before 12th century

1: the quality or state of being free: as a: the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action b: liberation from slavery or restraint or from the power of another: independence c: the quality or state of being exempt or released usually from something onerous <freedom from care> d: ease, facility freedom> e: the quality of being frank, open, or outspoken freedom> f: improper familiarity g: boldness of conception or execution h: unrestricted use freedom of their home> 2 a: a political right b: franchise, privilege


This post was deleted by blogger because of some copyright bullshit!

A Volcano Version Excursion Part 2

Yes, I've got another "Volcano Version Excursion" and I hope you want to come along with I & I. I've finally gotten off my lazy ass and ripped 12 more assuredly Roots Radics/assumed Scientist mixed B-sides from assorted Volcano, Arrival and Jah Guidance singles and spliced them together into a nicely packaged mix that I'm hoping you'll enjoy. I've put a little more effort into this excursion by weaving in vocal samples from the A-sides so I hope you dig it.

I have also taken the liberty of giving the multitude of versions new titles so that you'll know from what record you're hearing the B-side from... I didn't want to get into identifying riddims because unfortunately I've got a lot on my plate at this time outside of music.

1. For Hire Version - Eek A Mouse - For Hire & Removal - Volcano 7"
2. Reach Out For Version - Jennifer Lara - Reach Out For Me - Volcano 7"
3. What Type Of Version - Michigan & Smiley - What Type Of World - Volcano 7"
4. Give A Little Version - Johnny Osbourne - Give A Little Love - Arrival 7"
5. Soldier Man Version - Don McCarlos (Carlos) - Soldier Man A Come - Volcano 7"
6. Mr. Chin Version - Yellowman - Mr. Chin - Volcano 7"
7. Rich Man Poor Version - Michael Prophet - Rich Man Poor Man - Volcano 7"
8. Coconut Version - Ringo - Coconut Woman - Volcano 7"
9. The Lover Version - Dennis Walks - The Lover - Jah Guidance 7"
10. Let Go Mi Version - Josie Wales - Let Go Mi Hand - Volcano 7"
11. Ishen Version - Wailing Souls - Ishen Tree - Jah Guidance 7"
12. 2 to 6 Version - Yellowman - 2 To 6 Supermix - Volcano 7"

Dig it! And please let me know what you think!!!!

Roy Shirley 1944-2008

Some more sad news for fans of Jamaican music, another legend has passed on. I just heard of this so instead of spending a lot of time writing up a biography I'll just share verbatim what appeared this morning on the Jamaica Gleaner's website...

"Singer Roy Shirley, whose seminal hit song Hold Them, is recognized as the first rock steady song, died in England last week.

Shirley, known for his dramatic stage costumes and performances, was 64.

The British company, Trojan Records which reissued several of Shirley's music in Europe, announced his death on its website.

"Truly unique, Roy was not only one of the true greats of Jamaican music's first golden age, but also a gentleman in every sense of the word, and he will be sadly missed by all those who knew him, either personally or through his music," the posting read, in part.

Born Ainsworth Roy Rushton Shirley, he grew up in Trench Town, an area that produced several pioneers of Jamaica's popular music.

Hold Them, recorded in 1967, was his biggest hit. It was reportedly the first song funded by a young producer named Joe Gibbs who would go on to find fame in the 1970s with Dennis Brown, Culture and George Nooks.

Hold Them's loping beat was considerably slower than ska and is often cited by musicologists as the first rock steady song.

Shirley had been living in England since 1973."

I have taken the time to compile and mix a 15 song tribute to a true Jamaican original.

Here is the tracklisting...

1. "Flying Reggay" from the Music Is The Key (1967-75) Compilation CD on Trojan
2. "The Fact Of Life" w/the Uniques from the 2004 Your Musical Priest (1966-72) CD on the Westside Label
3. "Hold Them" from the Trojan Carnival Box Set
4. "The World Needs Love" taken off the Joe Gibbs various artists compilation Get On Up! CD also on Trojan
5. "Dance The Reggae" from the various artist album called Do The Reggae - Early Reggae Singles 1968-69 CD also on the Westside label
6. "Get On The Ball" from the multiple artist rock steady CD Caltone Special on the Attack label
7. "Rolling Rolling" also off the aforementioned Music Is The Key set
8. "I Am The Winner" off the Trojan Reggae Brothers Box Set
9. "Shirley" from the various artists ska compilation El Bang Bang Vol.2
10. "Warming Up The Scene" also taken off the Your Musical Priest set
11. "You Turn Me On" from 1976 LP The Winner on the Trenchtown label
12. "Bubble Up" also from the Music Is The Key set
13. "Endlessly" borrowed from the 1983 LP Day One Live At Reggae Sunsplash - Best Of The Festival on the Sunsplash label
14. "I Like Your Smile" from the Trojan Rare Groove Box Set
15. "Who God Bless No Man Curse" also off the Music Is The Key set

R.I.P. Roy Shirley

An Evening With Reggaexx

Hey all, I know this is kinda short notice but I forgot to mention this earlier. Tomorrow, Saturday June 28th at 8PM GMT, be sure to tune into Springline Jamaica on Live 365, to spend an evening (or afternoon depending on whatever part of the world you're in) with me. I've prepared 5, 45 minute sets of music for your listening pleasure covering a lot of the subgenres in Jamaican music... dub poetry, ska, rocksteady, roots, rub-a-dub, early digital dancehall, etc. as well as a small tribute to women in Jamaican music and a tribute to the "foundation DJs" - there's bound to be something you like!

Thanks goes to the Springline Crew for giving me another opportunity to "play out," so to speak!

Sad news... Springline Jamaica is no longer... my sets were actually the last to air before they closed up shop unexpectedly. I'd like to thank Gibsy, Moni, Pace, Uncle Fee and all the rest of the crew for making my time spent there very rewarding and enjoyable!

I have decided to post the complete sets from Saturday's show so that those who didn't give it a listen will have a chance to dig 'em... these are not really mixes as much as they are complete 45 minute radio shows complete with bumpers and my voice (which I can't stand hearing when played back) Give 'em a listen!

Set One - Rub-A-Dub, Roots, Studio One
Set Two - Dub Poetry, Ska, Late 80's Dancehall
Set Three - Tribute To Women In Jamaican Music - Roots, Rub-A-Dub & Dancehall
Set Four - Tribute To The Foundation DJs - A veritable who's who of 70's DJ style
Set Five - Rootsy, Rub-A-Dub, Rocksteady

It's Summer... Time To Jump Back In!

First of all, no it isn't me doing the graceful bellyflop but I wouldn't turn down the opportunity to do so today. Yes, I'm back and this time I'm doing something I haven't done before here. I'm posting for your summer listening pleasure an 8 song mix on a relatively modern update of a classic riddim and get this, they're pretty much all love songs. What you are about to hear is the "Mr. Fix It" riddim from 2000 produced by Beres Hammond on the Harmony House label and I have been diggin' it big time!

I remember hearing the Half Pint and Beres tune on this track and loving it a few years ago. But when "Just Be Good" popped up again on a random shuffle on the Ipod I decided to give it the credit it was due by compiling some more tunes and doing a complete one riddim mix. I don't know why, but anytime I hear these songs they immediately make the warm breeze, singing birds and sunshine feel just a little sweeter I hope they'll do the same for you.

Here's the playlist...

1. Ambelique - New Sheriff In Town
2. Beres Hammond - They Gonna Talk
3. Peter Hunnigale - Believe In Love
4. Anthony B - Good Life
5. Tony Curtis - Lord I Thank You
6. Half Pint - Just Be Good
7. Don Campbell - I Wish I Could
8. Ambelique - Survivor

Happy Summer

Time to dust off the cobwebs and get things rollin' again!

Yes, its been forever since I've updated or posted on the blog here but now that I've got a bunch of stuff off my plate you should start seeing some more action around here coming up in the next week or so. Thanks to all of those who have left comments about the "newer" mixes and those who still happen across some of the older active mixes and take the time to say thanks - it's really appreciated!

I've got a mix in the works not to mention another installment of the Volcano Version Excursion so stay put!

Springline-Jamaica Anniversary Show Tomorrow!

Be sure to give it a listen!! It's shaped up to be a wicked day of music!!

Click here to see the website in all its readably-sized glory!

Pack Your Bags For A Volcano Version Excursion

We're taking a little trip to the B-side of some of my favorite tunes today! I was listening to some of my Volcano and Jah Guidance 45's the other night and as usual I was inspired by what I heard... classic stuff! What has always impressed me about Junjo's productions, aside from the veritable who's who of quality DJs and singers, is of course the superb Roots Radics Versions on the flip side! A lot of the Versions definitely surpass the A-sides in their timeless appeal! So with that in mind, I've decided it was time to start the ball rolling for an ongoing project here at Distinctly Jamaican Sounds... every now and then I'm going to pull a stack of tunes, rip the B-sides, mix 'em up, then share them with you. To me, these scratchy platters really capture the essence of what made "rub-a-dub" era such an amazing time in Jamaican music!

Now the good thing about this project is that I won't have to spend a lot of time writing a tracklist or crediting the record companies that released each tune... for the most part they're all entitled "Version", except for a few that are taken from a 12" where they officially would carry over the name of the vocal version since the instrumental at the end isn't credited or even mentioned but I'm not going to trouble you or myself with that technicality. So pack up and get movin' cause we're taking a 12 track Volcano Version Excursion to J.A. (circa '80 - '85)

Enjoy!

Coming Soon - Springline Jamaica's 1st Anniversary

I don't know if you've checked it out yet but I was turned on to the Live 365 "station" Springline Jamaica a couple months back and I can't get enough! If you haven't given them a listen yet then shame on you... wicked selections and more importantly some good people who do it only because they want to share their love for Jamaican music.

Coming up at the end of April they're celebrating their first anniversary of broadcasting - click here to give the official cyberflyer a look and listen - and they've asked me to put together a couple 45 minute sets that will be aired during their 12 hour non-stop marathon. I of course was honored and delighted to be asked to be a part of the festivities! My sets will highlight and retrace some of the steps I've taken here on Distinctly Jamaican Sounds including a short taste of the Halloween mixes and even some Christmas tunes. And get this... you'll actually be able to hear my voice. Not like that's anything exciting and considering I personally can't stand the sound of my own voice when I hear it played back but it's a first for me. I haven't done any "radio" DJing in nearly 10 years and it has taken me a while to feel comfortable behind a mic again. I'll keep you posted as the celebration draws nearer.

Sir Joe Gibbs 1943-2008

Since Joe Gibbs passed away exactly a month ago and I definitely wasn’t on top of the breaking news I won’t go into the specifics of Sir Gibbs’ career – there are plenty of sites that succinctly sum up his life better than I ever could – I’m just going to take this space and explain why it took me so long to acknowledge this sad news, then I’ll quit my rambling and present the fruits of my nearly month long labor of love.

I was really saddened to hear of the passing of the great Joe Gibbs and I initially had the intention of whipping up a quick mix in his honor but once I started compiling music I realized this was going to be a daunting task. I mean… I had every intention of highlighting the contributions the man made to Jamaican music and due to the amount of wicked releases he had his hands in, the playlist was coming in at around 8 hours. Then I decided maybe I’d approach the tribute from a different angle by highlighting only his rocksteady productions. But there were far too many reggae tunes that I couldn’t not include them. I thought about doing a dub only compilation but again I kept coming around to another solid roots track so I couldn’t go that route either. So what I present to you, for your listening pleasure, is a 40 track "megamix" of a bunch of Joe Gibbs’ hits, mixed with their instrumental versions. I hope that my efforts haven’t been wasted and that it serves as a fitting memorial for a man who engineered and produced four decades of spectacular music.

1. Dennis Brown – Money In My Pocket
2. Trinity – Three Piece Suit And Thing
3. Marcia Aitken – I’m Still In Love With You
4. Althea & Donna – Uptown Top Ranking
5. Sir Lord Comic – Doctor Feelgood
6. Nicky Thomas – Don’t Touch Me
7. Culture – See Them A Come
8. Shorty The President – Natty Pass Him GCE
9. Nigger Kojak – Massacre
10. Lui Lepki – Can’t Tek Mi Landlord
11. Yellowman – Gregory Free
12. Naggo Morris – Su Su Pon Rasta
13. Prince Far I – Heavy Manners
14. Dennis Brown & Big Youth – Equal Rights Style
15. Peter Tosh – Maga Dog
16. Bunny Flip – Maingy Dog
17. Joe Gibbs & The Love Generation – Fat Dog
18. I-Roy – News Carrier
19. Leo Graham – A Win Them
20. Gregory Isaacs – Babylon Too Rough
21. Cornell Campbell – Boxing
22. Nigger Kojak & Liza – Bam Bam
23. Joe Tex & U Black – Rub-A-Dub Evening
24. Dennis Brown – Stop Your Fussing And Fighting
25. Junior Murvin – Cool Out Son
26. Dennis Walks – Almighty I
27. Eddie Ford – You Wrong Fe Trouble Joshua
28. June Lodge – Some One Loves You Honey
29. Prince Mohammed – One Time Daughter
30. Trinity – Kingston Two Rock
31. Big Youth – Waterhouse Rock
32. Barrington Levy – Wife And Sweetheart Dem A Friend
33. Ranking Trevor – Wife And Sweetheart
34. George Nooks – Sadie
35. Papa Tullo – Fe Mi Time Now
36. Jacob Miller – I’m A Natty
37. I Roy – Knotty Knots
38. Leo Graham – Hard Times
39. Sylford Walker – Burn Babylon
40. The Professionals – CW Burning Version

Sir Joe Gibbs Tribute Megamix

I stumbled upon this wicked artwork of Joe Gibbs' store created by Edinburgh, Scotland illustrator & DJ Jerry Neville AKA Jeremyiah when looking for a Joe Gibbs photo for this post and it was too cool not to share. Check out more of his work here.

Mikey Dread 1954-2008 - A Tribute...

I heard of Michael "Mikey Dread" Campbell's passing last night while at a Gregory Isaacs concert here in Baltimore and was immediately saddened to hear the bad news. Campbell got a job as an engineer for the Jamaican Broadcasting Company in the 1970's. He wasn't particularly digging the amount of foreign music that the Jamaican network was broadcasting and after some dealings was able to start hosting his own program "Dread At The Controls" to showcase reggae exclusively. Of course the show was astoundingly popular throughout the entire island and it filled a void left by those "higher-ups" who sincerely believed that their listeners didn't want to hear homegrown music. Eventually the management at the station started to gripe, probably because the show's popularity damaged their fragile know-it-all attitudes, and by the time Mikey Dread quit he had established himself as a singer and producer and moved on to bigger and better things. Oddly enough Mikey Dread is well known outside of reggae circles for his work with the British punk group the Clash in 1980.

Needless to say, Jamaican music has lost another important and historically significant figure in its musical legacy. Rest in peace Mikey Dread you'll always be The Dread At The Controls!

I've put together a mix to pay tribute to Mikey Dread and I hope you enjoy it, the tracklist is below. He recorded and produced so many quality tunes it was hard to narrow down what I wanted to use but I think what I selected should serve as a nice tribute.

Tracklisting... all albums are on the Dread At The Control label unless noted otherwise
1. "Kasha Herb Rock" from the 1979 album At The Control Dubwise
2. "Warrior Stylee" from the 1982 album Beyond World War III
3. "Barber Saloon" from the Best Sellers Greatest Hits CD
4. "Industrial Spy" from the African Anthem LP from 1979
5. "Roots & Culture" from the Pave The Way CD on Heartbeat Records
6. "The King In The Ring" from the LP Evolutionary Rockers from 1979
7. "School Girl Dub" from the 1995 Lee Perry various artists Larks From The Ark on the Nectar label
8. "Mikey Dread In Action" also from the African Anthem album
9. "Choose Me" also from the Best Sellers LP
10. "Break Down The Walls" from the Beyond World War III album
11. "Hot Cross Bun" from the 1982 Mikey Dread produced Rockers Vibration various artists LP
12. "Rainbow Jungle" from the 1982 Jungle Signal release
13. "Armageddon Style" taken from the 1982 Swalk LP also on the Heartbeat label
14. "Forever And Ever" also from the Pave The Way CD
15. "Michael Campbell Theme" from the 1978 Revolutionaries LP Dread At The Controls Dub on the Hawkeye label

Mikey Dread Tribute

In other Mikey Dread related news... check out this game featuring an animated Mikey Dread

Ahh...A Family Size Spring Mix!

It looks as if winter is loosening its grip and things are starting to look a little more agreeable weather-wise. Temperatures are starting to hover above freezing and to celebrate the demise of this shitty season I've put together a little Spring Mix for your listening pleasure... and no it's not of the salad variety as the photo would suggest. Nothing spectacular or fancy just a bunch of songs that have been in heavy rotation that are helping me get me out of the winter doldrums.

I've also got a tribute to Joe Gibbs in the works and will be coming soon but hey, I needed to get back on Garageband and get some of the rust off first. I should get my Gibbs tribute in the can, so to speak, by this time next week but until then I hope you give my little spring mix a listen... maybe it'll give you a late winter lift as well. I really need to address my seasonal depression or win the lottery and start taking extended mid-winter tropical vacations, but until that happens I've always found listening to good ol' Jamaican music can really lift your spirits!

Tracklisting
1. Ernie Smith - Nice Time
2. Horace Andy - Happiness
3. Beres Hammond - Smile
4. Alton Ellis - Why Birds Follow Spring
5. Eric Donaldson - Happy Man
6. The Clarendonians - Sunshine
7. Derrick Harriott - Laugh It Off
8. King Stitt - Jump For Joy
9. Sound Dimension - Full Up
10. Roy Shirley - I Like Your Smile
11. Bob Andy - My Time
12. Jackie Mittoo - Spring Time

Pour on the dressing, I prefer raspberry vinaigrette... and give it a play! Enjoy!

No Reservations - Jamaica

While I take some time getting motivated for future musical posts I thought I'd share something that a co-worker was kind enough to burn on DVD for me... It's a show called No Reservations hosted by author Anthony Bourdain and it airs weekly on the Travel Channel here in the states. You wouldn't know it but I'm a huge fan of cooking, international cuisine and culinary television programs in general and you can be guaranteed that I would gladly watch this "culinary adventure program" every week if my lame-ass cable company offered the Travel Channel... but that's another story.

If you want to catch the entire Jamaica episode it's available on Youtube and makes for some good viewing... I decided to present the segment where Mr. Bourdain breaks Ital "bread" with Mutabaruka - check it out!

Updates coming soon... hopefully

Sorry I haven't updated in a month... I haven't been in much of a blogging mood - probably has a lot to do with the seemingly un-ending bullshit winter that's really got me feeling super lazy. Hopefully I can get out of my hibernation mode and find the motivation to get back to it in March.

The Enduring Versatile Talents Of John Holt

John Holt, born 1947 Kingston Jamaica, was a regular at various talent contests by the age of 12 and in 1963 he cut his first single "I Cried A Tear" for Leslie Kong's Beverley's label. Between 1965-1970 he was the lead singer for the Paragons, who recorded countless hits for Duke Reid, and eventually set off on a solo career that has now spanned nearly 40 years. He is one of the few artists to successfully crossover into the world of pop music with love songs that appealed to the masses while continuing to record cultural music that continued to appeal to his fans at home in Jamaica. This is best exemplified with two songs in particular, both included in the mix, in 1974 he had a huge hit in Europe with the tune "Help Me Make It Through The Night" and just two years later scored big at home with the massive roots hit, "Up Park Camp" which is also in the mix. The man is versatile and in my opinion highly underrated so today I've decided to pay homage to this great singer by providing a sampling of some of his music. Read on...

We start off the mix with one of John Holt's biggest hits "A Love I Can Feel" which was originally recorded by Coxsone Dodd at Studio One in 1970. It comes from the Heartbeat CD The Best Of Studio One.

Next up is a Junjo Lawes produced update of another timeless John Holt classic called "Stealing Stealing" and is taken from the 12" on the Volcano label circa 1983-84.

The next song is called "This Old Lady" and is from a 10" on the Chart Sounds label featuring the backing riddim talents of Sly & Robbie.

The fourth song is "No Man Is An Island" from the greatest hits CD compilation called Holt Like A Bolt on the Burning Bush label.

We follow that up inna Rockers style with "My Desire" produced by Augustus Pablo and lifted from the CD called The Great Pablo on Music Club.

"Left With A Broken Heart" from the 1971 LP Still In Chains is the sixth tune in our mix.

Back to the eighties with Junjo Lawes and the Roots Radics at the helm with a killer uplifting tune, originally released in 1982 as a 7" and 12" on the Volcano label, called "Sweetie Come Brush Me."

We follow that up a song called "Love Like Yours" from a various artists compilation on the Jamaican Gold label called From GG's Reggae Hit Stable produced by the great Alvin Ranglin.

Up next is an absolutely classic tune "Ali Baba" available on a multitude of releases but this time borrowed from the 2002 Trojan CD re-issue of a 1969 various artists LP called Tighten Up Volume 2.

Our tenth track "Man And Woman" is also from a 2002 various artists CD of Rupie Edwards productions on the Trybute label called Rupie's Scorchers.

The aforementioned pop hit "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" in next and is available on the 2003 Trojan 12" Box Set. A nice sampling of Holt's pop abilities, not to mention how a good indication of how "pop" reggae that may have been un-listenable when it was released has aged pretty well. I guess with the Aggrovators doing the backing it's hard to come up with a song that doesn't sound decent!

We jump back to the turntable with another 80's era 10" single which though not credited sounds a lot like a Junjo production called "Not Leaving" on the Holt label. Some nice Roots Radics backing on this track!

Falling back to 1973 and the album 1000 Volts Of Holt also on the Trojan label... this one sounds a lot poppier than "You'll Never Find Another Love..." and to my ears includes some Country-Western influence if you can hear beyond the string arrangements. It's called "Help Me Make It Through The Night."

We'll stick with the strings for another tune, this one is called simply "Tonight" and is ripped from the 1984 re-issue of a 1970 Coxsone LP that was originally released on the Bamboo label.

Getting a little more conscious with the next song, "Last Train From The Ghetto," taken from the classic 1983 Police In Helicopters album on Greensleeves... also done up right by Junjo and the Radics.

Another selection for your listening pleasure follows that, it's called "Don't Give Up," and to be honest with you I have no idea where it came from. I found it floating around my hard drive and decided to throw it in. It's a good song.

We start winding down the mix with "Up Park Camp" from 1976. It's also from the Holt Like A Bolt compilation but originally appeared on the album of the same name on the Channel One label. Obviously this is where Cocoa Tea got the inspiration for his 1991 single, "Riker's Island."

Be prepared to be electrified by the next tune "Let The Wicked Run Away" from the 2003 re-issue of the 1977 Trojan LP 3000 Volts Of Holt.

The second to last track is a classic Duke Reid early reggae hit "Wear You To The Ball." Oddly enough I hadn't listened to the original version of this tune in so long that I found myself adding the missing U-Roy parts... "Did Ya 'ear watta man say baby?" Perfectly on cue I might add.

We wrap up the John Holt mix with an absolutely wicked tune originally recorded by Little Roy called "Tribal War" and it comes to us from a 12" on the Channel One label. One of my all-time favorite reggae tunes!

I hope you enjoy the mix!

John Holt Mix

King Jammys Sleng Teng'n Into The Digital Era

Like all royalty, King Jammys (born Lloyd James, Kingston, Jamaica) began his reign as a Prince by building amplifiers and repairing electrical equipment in the Waterhouse area of Kingston and eventually running his own sound system. After a brief hiatus in Canada, where he concentrated on doing studio and sound system work for others, he returned to Jamaica with the intention of creating his own recording studio. The young prince got his big break by joining forces with the reigning King - King Tubby. It was under Tubby's tutelage where he received his education in mixing and by the late 70's he began releasing his own productions including the debut album from Black Uhuru. It has been written that since Jammy was in touch with the artists in the burgeoning dancehall scene and a keen sense of what was going to be popular.

The story goes that in 1985 Jammys discovered a new riddim by altering one of the pre-programmed rock rhythms from a Casio digital music box. The rock beat was slowed considerably and when he recorded a young singer named Wayne Smith and his tune "Under Me Sleng Teng" he forever changed the course of Jamaican music. The new digital riddim was christened Sleng Teng and instantaneously became massive. Before long there were over 200 varied versions of the riddim by every producer in Jamaica and probably three times as many artists lining up to take a lyrical ride. What made Sleng Teng so important was that it eliminated the need for expensive studio musicians and studio time and put the ability for creating affordable music directly in the hands of independent producers and artists nationwide.

Today we're paying tribute to Sleng Teng with a mix I put together. There are 24 songs in total, (25 if you count the King Jammys version that floats in and out throughout the mix) all dating back to the dawning of the digital era in 1985, and if you're a fan of early dancehall this should give you a nice sampling of one of the most revolutionary riddims ever created and one of my personal all-time favorites. If you're more of a roots fan or don't really care for the Sleng Teng itself I highly recommend not downloading this one - you'll have yourself in a Casio induced coma within 3 minutes! This is probably as current as you're ever going to see me get here on Distinctly Jamaican Sounds but this has been in the works for months and I finally got the time to finish it up! I hope you enjoy it!

Here's the tracklisting
1. Wayne Smith - Under Me Sleng Teng
2. John Wayne - Call The Police
3. Echo Minott - Hand Pon The Key
4. Nicodemus - Eagle Feathers
5. Papa Faith - Maniac
6. Screechie Nice - Understand Me
7. Tenor Saw - Pumpkin Belly
8. Eccelton Jarrett - Dancehall Music
9. Pad Anthony - Cry For Me
10. Tonto Irie - Every Posse Come In
11. Cocoa Tea - Hey Bobby
12. Shinehead - Know Fe Chat
13. Sugar Minott - Jam In The Street
14. Mr. Lee - Crisis
15. Shelly Thunder - Sting Mi Sting
16. Woody Noble - Ram Jam Session
17. Tappa Zukie - Big Things
18. Tony Asher - Our Teng
19. Johnny Osbourne - Buddy Bye
20. Hugh Griffiths - Medley Ride
21. Super Morris - Under Mi Peter Green
22. Echo Minott - Original Fat Ting
23. Singie Singie - Tell Us What You Know
24. Supercat - Trash And Ready

Sleng Teng Megamix

Alton Ellis - Praising A Living Legend

I'm keeping it short and simple today... when I first read that Alton Ellis was about to undergo cancer treatment in London I immediately said a prayer for the man who has been revered by many as the "Godfather of Rocksteady." I then went to my music and put together an Alton Ellis mix. For once I wanted to give someone the praise they deserve while they are still among us instead of waiting until they're gone. Best wishes to Alton Ellis, his family and friends in this difficult time and I pray for a speedy and full recovery.

Here's what you're going to hear...

First we're going to hear "Cry Tough" from the 1992 Heartbeat various artists compilation set Duke Reid's Treasure Chest. Next is the tune "You Make Me Happy" from Ellis' 1967 debut album on Treasure Isle "Mr Soul Of Jamaica." Up third is another big tune borrowed from Duke Reid's Treasure Chest and its the timeless, "Girl I've Got A Date." The fourth track is "Sh-Boom (Life Could Be A Dream)" from the Alton Ellis CD compilation called Arise Blackman on the Moll Selekta label. The next tune we're gonna hear is called "We Need Love" from the Studio One LP called Showcase from the mid 70's. Taking a turn for the rub-a-dub next with the Junjo Lawes produced "Skateland Girl" from a Volcano 7" - one of my all-time favorites. The next track is "Willow Tree" lifted from the double CD set The Story Of Treasure Isle on the Metro Music label. Returning to the Arise Blackman set for the next song, it's a good one called "Sun Of Man." Our ninth tune in the mix is "Remember That Sunday" from the Trojan various artists sampler Moonwalk - Treasure Isle Skinhead Reggae Anthems. We follow that up with "How Can I" also from Arise Blackman. "La La Means I Love You," another outstanding Alton Ellis classic, lifted from The Story Of Treasure Isle set, is the next tune. "Stronger Than Before" taken from the Abraham Records LP Slummin' is the twelfth song in the mix. Going back to Studio One we've got "Can I Change My Mind" from the Heartbeat release The Best Of Studio One. We're heading back to Africa with the song "Back To Africa" from the 1992 Heartbeat various artists compilation called Lloyd Daley's Matador Productions 1968-1972. Getting toward the end we're going to hear "It's A Shame" from Blood & Fire's excellent 2001 compilation Darker Than Blue - Soul From Jamdown. Finally we wrap it up with "Loving Mood," Alton's take on Delroy Wilson's hit "Dancing Mood" from the 2005 Moll Selekta various artists CD called The Bunny Lee Rocksteady Years. Enjoy!

Alton Ellis Mix

Oscar Peterson 1925-2007

You wouldn't know it by looking at my blog but I am a fan of jazz and moments ago I just learned of the passing of an all-time great and one of my personal favorites on Sunday... this busy pre-Christmas weekend got in the way of my keeping in touch with the latest news.

Oscar Peterson was an unbelievable talent and a true master...



R.I.P. Oscar Peterson